Dehydrator or drier



D. P. POWER.

DEHYDRATOR OR DHIER. A PPLICATloN FILEDJUNE2I,1921.

1,422,620. Patented July M, 1922.

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ing is a specilication.

To all whom it may concern- Je i.

DUDLEY P. EUX/VER, 0F PURTLND, OREGN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO EVERETTP, BABGOCK AND ONE-THIRD T0 FRANK ABELANG, BOTH OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

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Application filed June 21,

Be it known that l, DUDLEY P. POWER, a citizen of the United States, anda resident.y of the city of Portland, county of Multnomah, and State ofOregon, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inDehydrators or Driers, 01"' which the follow- .The object of myinvention prin'iarily is to bring about an eihcient drying ot fruits andvegetables, by causing currents of air to pass ovei` trays, iirst inonedirection for a predetermined period, and then in the reverse direction;the circulated air being previously heated so as to be lbetter adaptedto carry of a larger amount oi moisture.

A further object of my invention is to make the operating devicesautomatic so that,

by suitable means, the movement of the air,

current through the drying chamber will be periodically reversed, and,in time with such reversal, the gates controlling the admission dryingchamber, will be opened and closed as required, and the action otdevicesby which the movement et the air is accomplished will be correspondinglycontrolled.

A further object of my invention is to provide Ytor the exterior air tobe moved through the stack of perforated trays both in perpendicularcolumn, and in strata passing over and between the trays. y

l attain the features above specified, and others incidental thereto, bythe devices illustrated in the accompanying. drawing, which shows indiagrammatic form. a vertical section oit my dehydrator, and theoperatingdevices and means thereof.

l have not detailed the operating parts, and operating means since suchdetails may he left to the discretion of the builder et my dehydratoi,so long as he follows. the principle oit operation hereinafterdescribed, towards which the construction of my dehydrator must bedirected.

a represents the housing of my dehydrator having doors b, c. The dryingchamber d or the housing is provided with legs e supporting a stack ofhorizontal trays j, ,the bottoms ofr which are perforated or may beAmade of wire cloth. The top and bottom ends of the drying chamber areopen and on such ends are mounted domes g'andit and the so enclosedspace provides ante-chambers e' and y'. The ante-chambers have ports laand Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3.1i, ieei. 'serial no. 479,218.

Z, communicating with the exterior air. The

passage of the air through said ports is controlled by gates m and awhich may consist ;oi1 a series or' plates or leaves pivoted so as tooverlap in one position and thus close the passage way as shown by thegate m or for Y being opened as shown bythe arrangement of the gate n.The leaves are connected to rods 0 and p and such rods are connected tobell cranks g and r; these devices being so arranged that the movementof the rods 0 andp in one direction opens the gates m and wrespectively,and movement in the opposite direction closes sai d'gates.

On, one side of the housing a is provided an air passage way s in whichis a heating coil vor pipewhich in practice is connected with heatingmeans for example a steam "boiler, the connection from the steam boilerbeing etlectedwith the termini a and t'.

Gates w and y/ control the inlet ports fr l ande olf the passage way s.The gates are connected by a rod 3 and by other rods e and 5 with thebell cranks g and r so that by v moving the doors to open lirst one andthen the other of the ports ai and .e of the passage way s the bellcranks Q and rare correspondingly operated and through the lat-ter bythe rods 0 and p the gates m and??J are correspondingly operated. y

rihe doors areopened and closed as mentionedby-a screw shaft 6 thethread of which cctuates a slide 7 having a projecting contact member 8adapted 'to engage with the pins 9 and 1l) of the doors to and y andthus open and close the latter in accordance with the direction in whichl'the screw shaft 6 is driven.

The screw shaft 6 is rotated first in one direction and then in theother periodically by the means diagrammatically shown at 11 consistingot a train of bevel gears, two of which are adapted to idle on the shaft12 yuntil connected with the shaft through the medium or" a clutch, theelement 13 ot which Y'is moved by an arm 14E carrying a weighted 'pinion2O carried by the shaft 19.

1n the open ends and Z of the ante-chambers z' and y' are suction Jfans21 and 22 driven by motors 23 and 24rand belts 25 and 26,

the motors being electrically operated, the circuit wires beingrepresented at 27 and 28; lthe electric circuit beingopened and closedthrough the medium of switches 29 and 30 operated by the bell cranks gand r.

The ends of the passage way s are connecte'd with the ante-chambers e'and j respecand y' and such auxiliary passage way has,

ports 40 located between the trays f which are spaced apart; the ports40 functioning to inject horizontal strata of air between the trays. Theends of the auxiliary passage way are controlled by ygates 42 which maybe similar in` construction to the gates m and n and they areoperatively connected by devices 43 and 44 with the bell cranks Q and rrespectively so as to be opened and n closed by the movement of thelatter.

In order to prevent dust or foreign particles from being' carried by theair -currents into the interior of the dehydrator I prefer to cover theends of the passage way s communicating with the conduits u and o byscreens 45 and 46. v

The operation of my dehydrator is as fol- 'lowsz In the position oftheparts shown the screw shaft 6 has just operated to close the upper gatew and open the lower gate y 'of the passage way s thus permitting theair to enter the bottom end of the passage way s as indicated by thearrows, the air becoming lheated inits passage over the heating coils tso as to be rendered in better condition for absorbing moisture.Simultaneously the gate 33 has been opened so that the heated air mayflow through the conduit 3l into the ante-chamber i and simultaneouslythe switch 30 has been closed so as to set the motor 24 into operationand thereby Vrotate the suction fan 22. o At the same time the' gate mhas been closed and the gate fn, opened and the butteriiy valve 34 inthe conduit 32 has also been closed. Hence the heated air currents willbe drawn through the drying chamber as indicated by the arrows towardthelower end of the drying -chamber and expelled through the port 1 at thebottom of the dehydrator to the atmosphere. Furthermore, the crank armsgand .r have functioned to openand close the gates 4l and 42 of theauxiliary passage way 39 thereby permitting some of the air currents topass into said auxiliarypassage way 39 and to be emitted. from thelatter throu h the ports 40 and horizontal strata by t e trays e.

r The devices are so arranged that the switches 29 and 30 will bealternately opened and closed and the gates likewise operated throughthe medium of the devices rotating the screw shaft 6, such devices beingtimed to rotate the screw shaft for denite periods in alternatedirections; and thus the direction of the movement of the air currentsthrough the drying chamber will be alternated. Other uses of myinvention than the use above specified will be self suggesting.v

While have spoken of both fans m. and n as suction fans, of course, oneof these fans could be operated as a blower, if desired, and both fansthen operated together in such case, one pushing and the other pullingthe air through the drying chamber.

Since my dehydrator is specifically designed for using air as the dryingmedium I have used that term in the claims but in.

other uses of my invent-ion the term air is to be understood assynonymous with any gas or gases.

I claim: v

l. A dehydrator or drier comprising a drying chamber, an ante-chamber ateach end of the drying chamber, suchante-chambers communicating on oneside with the exterior' of the drying chamber and on the other side withthe exterior air, gates controlling-the-exterior air ports of saidantechambers, fans adapted to cause currents of air to pass through saidante-chambers and said drying chamber, means for preheating the airadmitted into said. ante-chambers, automatic'means adapted tov operatesaid gatesrelatively to the predetermined movement of the air, and intime therewith to control the action of the devices for effecting themovement ofthe air through said drying chamber, the means controllingthe air moving devices being adapted to reverse the latteratpredetermined periods.

2. A dehydrator or drier comprising a drying chamber, an ante-chamber ateach end of the drying chamber, such ante-chambers communicating. on onesidewith the exterior of the drying chamber and on the other side withthe exterior air,gates controlling the exterior air ports of saidantechambers, `fans adapted to cause currents of air to pass throughsaid ante-chambers and said dryingchamber, an elongate `air passage wayconnecting said ante-chambers with the exterior air, gates controllingthe admission of air from the exterior into said passage way, the lattergates being located at theopposite ends of said passage way, otherygates controlling the admission of air from said passage way into saidante-chambers respectively, means for heating the air inv said passageway, and automatic means adapted to operate said gates relatively to thepredetermined movement of the air, and in time therewith to control theaction of the devices for effecting the movement of the air through saiddrying chamber.

3. A dehydrator or drier comprising a drying' chamber, an ante-chamberat each end of the drying chamber, such ante-chainbers communicating onone sidewith the exterior ot the drying chamber and on the other sidewith the exterior air, gates controlling the exterior air ports of saidantechambers, fans adapted to cause currents of air to pass through saidante-chambers and said drying chamber, an elongate air passage wayconnecting said ante-chambers with the exterior air, gates controllingthe admission of air from the exterior into said passage way, the lattergates being located at the opposite ends of said passage way, othergates controlling the admission of air from said passage way into saidante-chambers respectively, means for heating the air in saidpassage-way, automatic the predetermined movement or' the air, and intime therewith to control the action of the devices for eiiecting themovement ot the air through said drying chamber, the means controllingthe air moving devices being adapted to reverse the latter atpredetermined periods.

t. A dehydrator or drier comprising a drying chamber, an ante-chamber ateach end of the drying chamber, such ante-chambers communicating on oneside with the exterior of the drying chamber and on the other sid-e withthe exterior air, gates controlling the exterior air ports of saidantechambers, fans adapted to cause currents of air to pass through saidante-chambers and said drying chambers, air distributing means betweensaid ante-chambers and the drying chamber, means for preheating the airadmitted into said ante-chambers, and automatic means adapted to operatesaid gates relatively to the predetermined movement of the air, and intime therewith to control the action of the devices for eifecting themovement oli the air through said drying chamber.`

5. A dehydrator or drier comprising a V drying chamber, an ante-chamberat each end of the drying chamber, such ante-chambers communicating onone side with the exterior of the drying chamber and on the other sidewith the exterior air, gates controlling the exterior air ports of saidantechambers, fans adapted to cause currents of air to pass through saidante-chambers and said drying chambers, air distributing means betweensaid ante-chambers and the drying chambers, an elongate air passage wayconnecting said ante-chambers with the exterior means adapted to operatesaid gates relatively to passage way, through which the air passes fromthe latter into the adjacent ante-chamber, and automatic means adaptedto operate said gates relatively to the predetermined movement of theair, and in time therewith to control the action of the devices foreiecting the movement of the air through said drying chamber.

6. A dehydrator or drier, comprising a drying chamber, a stack ofperforated trays therein, an ante-chamber at each end of the dryingchamber, such ante-chambers communicating on one side with the exterioro the drying chamber and on the other side with the exterior air, gatescontrolling the exterior air ports of said ante-chambers, fans adaptedto cause currents oit air to pass through said ante-chambers and saiddrying chamber, an elongate air passage way connecting saidante-chambers with the exterior air, gates controlling the admission ofair from the exterior into said passage way, the latter gates beinglocated at the opposite ends of said passage way, other gatescontrolling t-he admission of air from said passage way into saidante-chambers respectively, an auxiliary air passage connecting` saidante-chambers and provided with air ports between the trays into thedrying chamber, gates in the ends of the auxiliary passage way adaptedto control the passage of air therethrough, and' automatic means adaptedto operate said gates relatively to the predetermined movement of theair, and in time therewith to control the action of the devices foreffecting the movement of the air through said drying chamber.

.7. A dehydrator or drier, comprising a drying chamber, a stack oitperforated trays therein, an ante-chamber at each end of the drying'chamber, such ante-chambers communicating on one side with the exterioroit the drying chamber and on the other side with the exterior air,gates controlling the exterior air ports of said ante-chambers, fansadapted to cause currents of air to pass through said ante-chambers andsaid drying chamber, an elongate air passage way connecting saidante-chambers with the exterior air, gates controlling the admission ofair from the exterior into said passage way, the latter gates beinglocated at the opposite ends or said passage way, other gatescontrolling the admission of air from said passage way into saidante-chambers respectively, means for heating the air in said passageway, an auxiliary air passage connectingsaid?.ante-chambers `andprovided with air ports between. the trays into the y drying chamber,gates in the ends o'-the auxiliary passage way` adapted to contr-0l thepassage of air therethrough, and autoymatic meansadapted to operate saidgates relatively to the predetermined movement of the air, ,andy in timetherewith to controlt-he action of the devices 'for eiiecting themovement of the air through said drying chamber.

.8. A dehydrator or drier comprising adrying chamber, a stack ofperforatedtrays therein, an ante-chamber at each end of the dryingchamber, such ante-chambers Communicating on one side with the exterioroi: fthe drying chamberand on the-,other side with the -exterior air,gates'controlling the exterior .ai-r ports of said` ante-chambers, fansadapted to cause currents of airy to pass lthrough said .ante-chambersand 4said dry, ing chamber, airA distributing means between saidante-chambers andthe drying chamber,

an elongate air passage connecting said antecliambers with the exteriorair, gates controlling the admission otair rom'the en terior into saidpassage way, the latter gates being located at the opposite ends oflsaid passage Wa:y, other gates controlling the admission vot air "fromsaid passage Wayinto said ante-chambers respectively, means for 4heating4,the air in saidpassage Way, an

auxiliary air passage connecting said antechambersandprovided with airports between the traysinto thefdrying chamber,

gates in the ends ofthe auxiliary passage Way adapted to control thepassage of air therethrough, and: automatic meansiadapted "to operatesaid lgates relatively tothe pre- 'determined movementsro'f thef air,and in tiinegtlliereuirth to control ythe aetion'oiithe Idevices foreffecting the movement of the ,air

v through said drying chamber.

9. A dehydrator or drier comprising a` drying chamber, a stack ofperforatedtrays there-in, an ante-chamber at each end of the .dryingchamber, such ante-chambers/com- `an elongate air passage Way connectingsaid ante-,chambers with ythe exterior air, A gates controlling theadmissionofair from .the eaterior intosaid passage Way, the latter gates*being located at the opposite ends .of said kpassage Way, othergatescontrolling the admission o air from saidppassage Way into said.ante-chambers respectively, means for heating the air in said passage'Way,-a screen in each end of. said air passage Way, through Which-theair passesirom' the latterinto the adjacent ante-chamber, an auxiliaryair passage connecting said ante-chambers and provided -with airportslbetween the trays into the drying chamber, gates in fthe ends of theauxiliary Vpassage way adapted to control the passage of airtherethrough, and Jautomatic ineansadapted to operate said-gatesrelaair, and in time therewith to control the vacti'oii'oi the devicesfor eifecting the movevment of the air through said drying-chamber.

'DUDLEY r.V POWER.

tively tothe Vpredetermined movement ofthe

